Independence Day
by DrSykk
Summary: Pacifica has been put in charge of the Gravity Falls 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. In an effort to make it as memorable as possible, she talks Dipper into playing the part of stuntman.


**The idea for this story was requested by Barbacar. Probably spent more time than necessary writing it, but whatever. All reviews are welcome.**

* * *

Pacifica went down the checklist, making sure everything was in place for the fifth time that morning. It had been awhile since she had been given a project. The young Northwest was willing to do just about anything to make it a hit.

It was Independence Day, and Preston Northwest was sponsoring the Gravity Falls 4th of July Festival. Preston had managed to rebuild his fortune since Weirdmageddon. It was nice having connections across the globe. At first, the man was at risk of falling into old habits and becoming an egotistical big shot. Luckily, Preston came down from his high horse after constant nagging from Pacifica about his attitude. His daughter was happy enough with him putting an end to his theatrics and unethical practices, but McGucket was not. In fact, it was millionaire inventor's insistence on ' _giving back to the community_ ' that made Preston Northwest even consider the festival.

By the time Pacifica learned that her family was sponsoring the event, most of the jobs had been given out. The only thing that was not covered was pyrotechnics. Even with his influence, Preston was having trouble finding someone to run the fireworks show. It was difficult to get a professional company to come out to Gravity Falls due to its remote location. So when Pacifica cheerfully volunteered to take on this final task, her father was hesitant.

"I fail to see how you could possibly put together a fireworks show, Pacifica. I haven't been able to find any available people qualified for the task, and yet I'm supposed to believe that you can put together fireworks _spectacular_ worthy of a Northwest?" Preston said, the skepticism dripping from his voice.

Pacifica couldn't help but roll her eyes. "You know, I have connections, too Dad. I'm willing to bet that I could put on the best damn Independence Day fireworks show you've ever seen."

Preston stared at the young woman for a few seconds before breaking his gaze. "Alright, you can run the fireworks," he relented. "But it better be good. If any part of this festival fails, I doubt McGucket will let me hear the end of it."

 _ **Oh, you egotistical fool.**_

Once the last box on her list had been checked, Pacifica turned to an old man with a short beard and overalls. "Everything is accounted for on my end. How's set up going, Mr. McGucket?"

"Everything is in place, Young Miss," McGucket said. "There is nary a man who wouldn't have his britches knocked off by the show we're puttin' on."

"Excellent. So long as none of these things blow up in my face, the show will be a hit."

There was a small amount of apprehension with Pacifica at that thought. Stan Pines was a good man, and she told him to spare no expense when buying the best fireworks he could find. Of course, that didn't change the fact that a large chunk of the rockets in front of her were illegal. She didn't want to know where Stanley got his hands on such contraband, so long as it all fired off without a hitch.

 _Only one piece is missing._

As if on cue, a pickup truck hauling a large trailer pulled up to them.

"Did someone order a big ass cannon?" Stan yelled out the back window.

"Stanley, language! We're in public." Ford hopped out of the passenger door followed by Stan crawling out of the back seat. "You can't swear up a storm like you do on the boat," Ford said.

"Ya, ya. I'll hold my tongue," Stan dismissed. He let out a loud groan as he tried to stretch his old bones. "Welp, everything hurts. Next time, you're squeezing in the trunk."

"It was the backseat. No need to be dramatic."

"It was smaller the trunk of a smart car."

Manly Dan ignored the bickering twins, as he stepped out of the driver's seat and greeted Pacifica.

"Mornin' Miss Pacifica," he said with a friendly hand shake. "We have the cannon in the trailer. Just let us know where you want it."

"Thank you Mr. Corduroy. You can just push it behind the stands for right now."

As Manly Dan processed to unload, the two brothers admired Pacifica and McGucket's set up. Stan was clearly more impressed.

"So simple, yet so much potential for destruction." The display wasn't much to look at. It resembled large school bleachers, but if the seats had been replaced with individual rocket holders. Of course there were more fireworks than you could count, all of them handpicked by Stan himself.

"Yes, yes. Fiddleford did a good job," Ford said, his mind more focused on the potential dangers of encouraging a Northwest to go over the top. Speaking of which, "Pacifica, a word please?"

"What's up?"

"Don't you think this is all a bit much?"

"Of course not. I'm just putting on a giant fireworks show. It's an American tradition."

"This isn't _**just**_ a fireworks show." Ford was struggling to maintain a level voice. "I'm willing to bet these fireworks are from one of Stan's old con buddies. Not to mention the human sized cannon you had the three of us assemble. Are you going to launch yourself through the air like a mad man?"

Pacifica shrugged off his comments. "You worry too much, Stanford. McGucket and I made sure everything was safe. And I won't be firing myself out of the cannon. I got a professional for that."

* * *

"How did I get talked into this?"

Dipper's anguished reflection stared back at him. Instead of his normal clothes, he was dressed in white leather jacket and pants. Mabel had been sure to bedazzle on blue stripes with stars to give it that _'American hero look_ '. The getup made Dipper look like a young Evel Knievel. The only thing missing was an oversized belt buckle.

"Don't feel so bad, Bro-bro," Mabel said, adding the final details to his costume. "You are a perfectly healthy 18 year old man. So what if your girlfriend used your hormones against you? It happens to everyone, even girls."

"Maybe," Dipper sighed. "Most people wouldn't agree to become an armature stuntman in exchange for a hot date."

"You'd be surprised."

The next few minutes pasted in silence, allowing Mabel to quickly finish. Once she was satisfied with her work, she placed all her needles on the table and picked up a large, folded cloth.

"And now, for the finishing touch." With one smooth motion, Mabel whipped the cloth open and wrapped it around Dipper's shoulders. Once she buttoned it in place, it formed a neatly laid cape. Its red and blue design only furthered the all American style. "There. Now you look like a real daredevil," Mabel said while admiring her work.

Dipper looked into the mirror again. A small grimace formed as he took in the full outfit. "Isn't this a bit too flashy?"

"Nonsense," Mabel scoffed. "This is Pacifica we're talking about. She is a showy Northwest, even if she won't admit it." She wrapped her hands around her twin from behind and met his gaze in the mirror. "You'll knock'em dead." She gave him a sisterly peck on the cheek before letting go.

"Thanks Mabes," Dipper smiled. It faded quickly. "Any idea what Pacifica is going to have me do? These things usually require rehearsal."

"Probably something simple, like jumping a bike over some cars."

* * *

The town streets were crowded with Gravity Falls' citizens shuffling between the various festival stands. With everyone in one place, Gravity Falls felt less like a hick lumber town and more like the bustling city Dipper and Mabel were used to. The increased traffic made finding their friends difficult, but they eventually managed to get the whole gang to meet up in one place. By early afternoon, the large group was together in front of the library.

Pacifica had made a point to be the last to arrive. After setting up for the show, she had gone home to put on her own outfit. Dressed in a white sleeveless button up, tight jeans, and black boots, Pacifica looked like a modern version of the 1960s bad girl. She hardly said 'hi' to her friends before strutting up to Dipper.

"Hey, babe. Sorry I'm late," she said, gazing at him over her circle-rimmed sunglasses.

Tambry was the first to take a picture, already having her phone out, but the others were quick to follow suit. Mabel had made Dipper wear the stunt outfit to the festival, claiming she wanted to show off her hard work. However, Dipper was starting to think it was all Pacifica's idea. The couple looked like they had been ripped straight out of the rockabilly era.

"I-it's all cool, Paz." Dipper's embarrassment was not lost on the others. His red face only grew darker when Pacifica kissed him, leaving a lipstick mark on his nose.

After everyone was done laughing at the man's expense, the group set out. On Grenda's suggestion, everyone split off on the agreement to meet back up for dinner. Naturally, this meant Pacifica and Dipper went off together. The two enjoyed the personal time, as they usually had others with them on adventures. They made a point to visit as many stands as possible, their combined curiosity driving them to see everything. As the sun began to set, the couple met up with their friends for pizza before running off again to prep for the show.

* * *

"You want me to WHAT?!"

Pacifica rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. "Would you stop panicking? It's perfectly safe. The cannon was designed and tested by your uncle, so you know it will work."

"That's not the point. You didn't think this was something I should know about?"

"I didn't mention it because I knew this would be your reaction." Pacifica pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a cigarette holder from her bra. "You already got the costume, so you might as well do it," she said, attaching one of the white sticks to the end the long obsidian pipe and placing it in her mouth.

"Where the hell did you get those?" Dipper wasn't a fan of Pacifica's vaping habit. Witnessing her lighting up a cigarette annoyed him to no end.

"I may or may not have stolen my mom's imports. Thought it would be fun to set off a few of the fireworks with them."

"Paz, we've been over this. Those things are bad for your health."

The girl told a long drag before smirking at Dipper. "No need to be so uptight, babe. It's okay to live dangerously." She stepped up to him, making sure to put extra sway in her hips. Pacifica ran a finger down Dipper's chest with a lustful gleam in her eyes. "Isn't that right, _stuntman_?" she asked, putting emphasis on the last word by letting her hand fall below the belt. To top off the act, she blew a smoke ring in the shape of a heart at Dipper.

A bright blush engulfed the boy's face, and Pacifica knew she had won. Dipper's rational mind was racing, but it was all drowned out by his animal instincts. He wanted to question how living dangerously on purpose was stupid. He wanted to question if his girlfriend made a smoke heart with magic, or by practicing way too much. Instead, all he could question was why his pants were feeling tight.

"Alright, fine," he relented. "I'll do the stupid stunt."

* * *

Once the sun had set on Gravity Falls and the clock tower bells rung, it was time to start the show. Once the clock chimed for the tenth time, Pacifica pressed her cigarette against the quick fuse. The rocket launched near instantly and exploded high in the sky. The resulting burst of color drew awes from the crowd, and the girl launched the next rocket.

With Dipper's help, she set a good pace for the show. The couple worked their way from one end of the stands to the other, setting off a handful of fireworks at a time. The black sky was illuminated by burst of blue and green. Once the flames faded, they would be replaced by waterfalls of gold, and those would be replaced by rings of purple, and those would be replaced by whistling comets of white and red. One after another, bedazzling displays of color littered the dark backdrop of night.

As they lit the fuses, Dipper kept stealing glances at his girlfriend. Since they first started hanging out, he always saw her as beautiful. But somehow, this was a little different. He was able to identify a couple possible reasons for this, but couldn't decide on which was the best answer. It could have been her appearance. His twin sister was normally considered the unusually nostalgic one, but Dipper had a soft spot for Elvis and Johnny Cash. Pacifica's rockabilly look was a large change from her normal 21st century rich girl style, giving her a more womanly charm. Dipper would be lying if he said he didn't find it attractive. The lighting also helped, as the glimmer from the fireworks accented her smile as she watched them explode. She even looked sexy lighting up her second cigarette, in that taboo kind of way.

There was also something deeper to the new Pacifica. Ever since she took on this project, she seemed to have a more positive tone to her personality. Despite being something as simple and rudimentary as 4th of July fireworks, Pacifica had put in a lot of effort to make it amazing. There was a passion in her eyes that Dipper had rarely seen from her. Sure, he did get the short end of the stick on this occasion, but the man couldn't help but admire the potential this kind of passion held.

The couple continued with the show until they had set off a little over half of the fireworks. It was at this point that Pacifica took away Dipper's lighter.

"Go get ready for the finale. Mr. Corduroy will help you," she said.

"But-"

"Now Dipper."

He wasn't going to argue. Dipper made his way over to Manly Dan, who was standing next to the cannon.

"Hey Dan," he sighed. "Paz wants me to get ready for… that."

The lumberjack smiled down on him and gave a friendly laugh. "Don't feel too nervous, boy. You aren't the first man to risk life and limb to impress a girl."

Manly Dan handed him a box containing earplugs, a helmet, a parachute, and a love note signed PN. If nothing else, Dipper could take solace in the fact that Pacifica very much wanted him finish the night alive and in one piece. With a little help, he put on all his equipment and got into the cannon feet first.

* * *

As the show carried on, the grand finale grew near. Pacifica scanned the area to make sure everything was in place. Manly Dan had pushed the cannon into position, and the last set of fireworks had all been properly connected. All that was left was to light the fuse. Of course, you can't just set off a cannon with a cigarette, so Pacifica had made sure to swipe one of her dad's cigars as well. The taste was far more bitter and peppery than she was used to, but she was doing it more for show than for any personal enjoyment.

Once the last quick fuse was lit, Pacifica immediately lit the fuse connecting all the rockets for the finale. It was far longer, giving her precisely thirty seconds to make the announcement and launch her boyfriend into the air. "I hope he remembers how to use a parachute," she whispered to herself, but pushed the thought away. She had to focus on her own part.

Pacifica began to count backwards from thirty. _Twenty-nine. Twenty-eight. Twenty-seven_ …

Grabbing the megaphone at the end of the stands, she ran to the opposite end where the cannon was placed _. Twenty-one. Twenty_. _Nineteen_. The last firework illuminated the sky, and was followed by a short pause.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Pacifica spoke though the megaphone. "For the grand finale, I present the man of mystery himself! Dipper Pines!" The citizens of Gravity Falls let out a roar of applause at Dipper's name, eager for his performance. "Drum roll please!" The drummer began to play, and at the seven second mark, Pacifica pressed her cigar to the cannon's fuse. Running a safe distance away, she placed the cigar back in her mouth and covered her ears. And while she knew she should be more worried, she couldn't help but smile. _Three. Two. One_.

There was a brief whoosh from the fireworks, immediately followed by a loud boom from the cannon. Pacifica's eyes followed Dipper for as long as they could, but her view was quickly blocked by the fireworks. All she could make out was a bright blue twinkle caused by all the rhinestones Mabel bedazzled the costume with. If she didn't know any better, Pacifica would have said the spectacle made him look like a shooting star.

* * *

Dipper felt his stomach twist at the sound of Pacifica announcing his name to everyone. He was actually going through with this. Sure, he would back out if he could, but the faint drum roll confirmed that it was far too late for that.

With little warning, Dipper felt himself being forced upwards at a disturbing pace. Before he could even start screaming, the man was feeling hot wind across his face. His vision was blurred by the bright rainbow of explosions going off all around him, and soot covered his face has he continued his ascent. Despite himself, Dipper couldn't help but wonder how amazing he looked at that moment.

Eventually, Dipper made it past the fireworks, but he continued to soar. Apparently, Great Uncle Ford had made the cannon too well. The young daredevil felt like he was at least a thousand feet high before he felt the weightlessness of the apex. He could see far past the valley, into Roadkill County's dense forest. The sight left Dipper with a brief sense of awe before gravity pulled him back. Before he could fall too far, he pulled the cord on his parachute and began his slow decent back to town.

* * *

"How the hell does Dad smoke these things?" Pacifica said, putting out the partly used cigar. It didn't take long for the taste to get to her, and she didn't see much use in continuing the high-class illusion. She swore to stick to vaping and leave tobacco to old people.

The show was a rousing success. Watching Dipper fly up into the fireworks was a sight to behold, one that made the America Guy tear up. Everyone else just cheered, thrilled to watch one of the Mystery Twins pull one of their incredibly dangerous stunts. No one had to know that it was her idea this time around. Pacifica did have a tinge of fear and guilt at seeing her lover in the show, but the fear faded when he didn't immediately plummet back to Earth.

Once all the smoke had blown away, people were quick to point out the parachute descending towards them. Dipper tried to guide it to a clear area, but his lack of experience made that near impossible. It became obvious that he was going to land in the middle of the main road, so people were forced to move and make a clearing for him. He was coming down fast. Dipper landed on his butt and skidded across the asphalt, much to Mabel's dismay.

Pacifica was the first to run to him. The parachute came down behind him, so getting the harness off was easy enough. She had to make sure Dipper didn't fall while standing, however, as his legs were wobbly from the launch.

"I am never doing that again," he said.

"I know. Thank you, Dipper. I owe you one." Pacifica placed the cigar between Dipper's lips before placing her cigarette holder between her own.

"Uh, what is this?"

"Just something is pocketed off my dad," responded as she lit both the cigar and her own cigarette. "Leave it. It looks good with the jacket." Pacifica took a drag as the crowd began to close in on them. "Dipper Pines, ladies and gentlemen!" Everyone cheered again, and only got louder as Pacifica gave Dipper a large smooch on his ash-coated cheek. "Come on Evel Knievel. Let's get out of here."

"Don't we need to clean up?" Dipper asked.

"I hired people for that. Besides, I'd like to disappear before Stanford can lecture me on my life choices."

Dipper smiled at his girlfriend. They shared a kiss on the lips before running off.


End file.
